Customer Reviews

Murder of a Prophet: Dark Side of Utah Polygamy

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The author may not be a John Steinbeck, it's his first novel, but with a little more experience, he could be. Nevertheless, his knowledge of the subject is beyond dispute. The novel made front page review in the Salt Lake Tribune, and the author has been interviewed on national and local television. Murder of a Prophet has caused quite a stir in Utah, especially among the 60,000 odd polygamists believed to live in Utah and the surronding states. According to the Tribune, it has been banned in the polygamist communities of Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah. The story, which incidently is very good, gives the reader a peek in the minds of polygamists prone to violence, which is not an unusual scenario in Utah. I was raised in a polygamist family, rejected the religon, but still have contacts among the subculture. Utah polygamists, paranoid by nature, are doing what they can to discredit both the author and his story, which is why I read it. They are afraid it paints all polygamists as abusers. It dosen't. It is an intense story about abuse of power and demented cult mentality. The polygamists would rather cover up their dark side than deal with it. It is interesting that those most critical of the book have read it cover to cover and are in the process of writing their own book, that is suppose to counteract Murder of a Prophet.

but coming from a polygamist background myself, I see that the author has mixed up and disstorted a lot of facts. One fact that is kept very quiet is that Mr. Llewellyn was for a number of years a member of the apostolic united bretheren, a polygamist group located in Bluffdale, UT. Also, he only left after being rebuffed while trying to court a second wife. His story sure has changed!! I was born in Colorado City and have friends and family in 3 different polygamist groups and know a lot of the true stories. It is true that the Kingston group and the Colorado CIty bunch engage in forced marriages, and incest...

John Llewellyn possesses a unique insider's view of both the law enforcement world and polygamist culture. His investigative background and journalistic expertise combine in this fascinating, compelling and entertaining work. The characterizations are both believable and ironic and the plot is unique and intriguing.

This is a very short book but very informative. I couldn't put it down. Once again, Llewellyn holds up his end of the bargain and does very well. It's a good story but very sad that something like this actually happens and still, no one does anything about this cult. Yes, there are some crazies in every cult or religion but this cult is consistently crazy in the fact that they blindly follow anything. Buy this book. You won't regret it.